diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 587e3c5..ecc41b8 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Cortex OS CTO Workspace Agent Rules
 
+## Pickup
+
+Endgoal: maintain child-local CTO planning that can route governed execution work without becoming Core authority, a Runtime, or a backend owner.
+
+Read `docs/LEGACY-INGEST.md` before broad cleanup, restart, or old-work ingestion. It captures the intention behind mature CTO clusters and rejects implementation mass that does not serve the current endgoal.
+
 This workspace is a child-local planning workspace for the Cortex OS CTO product line.
 
 It is not Cortex OS Core authority. It is not a Runtime. It is not a Host Runtime.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a42aa90..7624066 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ Core promotes only through SOT route.
 
 This workspace is registered as a child-local planning workspace. Registration does not grant Core authority.
 
+## Legacy Ingest
+
+Read `docs/LEGACY-INGEST.md` before broad cleanup or old-work ingestion. The file records which older CTO clusters are still useful by intention and which implementation mass stays out.
+
 ## Layout
 
 ```text
@@ -26,6 +30,8 @@ This workspace is registered as a child-local planning workspace. Registration d
 |-- AGENTS.md
 |-- README.md
 |-- WORKBOARD.yaml
+|-- docs/
+|   `-- LEGACY-INGEST.md
 |-- .sot/
 |   |-- 00-START/
 |   |   `-- CTO-WORKSPACE-INTENT.md
diff --git a/WORKBOARD.yaml b/WORKBOARD.yaml
index dd2aa90..5c31e95 100644
--- a/WORKBOARD.yaml
+++ b/WORKBOARD.yaml
@@ -481,3 +481,8 @@ items:
     status: validated
     source: .sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CODEX-RETENTION-POLICY-PACKET.md
     owner: ""
+  - id: CTO-WORK-097
+    title: CTO Legacy Ingest Overview
+    status: validated
+    source: docs/LEGACY-INGEST.md
+    owner: ""
diff --git a/docs/LEGACY-INGEST.md b/docs/LEGACY-INGEST.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..11660dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/LEGACY-INGEST.md
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+# CTO Legacy Ingest
+
+Local planning only. Not Core authority. Not a Core Protocol. Not active Runtime authority.
+
+Source: CTO-WORK-097.
+
+## Purpose
+
+Legacy Ingest captures intention; it does not import implementation mass.
+
+Use this file to decide which older CTO planning clusters still matter for the current child-local endgoal:
+
+- Cortex governs.
+- Hermes controls.
+- CTO routes.
+- Case executes.
+- Harness proves.
+- Target repo stays owned.
+- Evidence records.
+- Core promotes only through SOT route.
+
+## Source Clusters Assessed By Intention
+
+### Case Admission And Proof Contract
+
+Reference cluster:
+
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CASE-SOURCE-ADMISSION-RECORD.md`
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CASE-ADAPTER-CONTRACT.md`
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-HARNESS-EVIDENCE-INTERFACE-CONTRACT.md`
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CASE-FAILURE-FIXTURE-MATRIX.md`
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CASE-STAGED-PROOF-GATES.md`
+
+Decision: keep the intention.
+
+The useful idea is the proof shape: source admission, adapter boundaries, failure fixtures, staged gates, and evidence contracts. Do not preserve every intermediate scaffold if it only restates the same gate.
+
+### Governed Execution Flow
+
+Reference cluster:
+
+- `CTO-WORK-066` through `CTO-WORK-071`
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-GOVERNED-EXECUTION-REQUEST-PRD.md`
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-GOVERNED-EXECUTION-APPROVAL-RECORD.md`
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-GOVERNED-EXECUTION-EVIDENCE-CLOSEOUT.md`
+
+Decision: keep the intention.
+
+The useful idea is a governed request, explicit approval, execution evidence, and closeout. The target repository remains owned by its own route. CTO does not become a general execution authority.
+
+### Hermes Visibility
+
+Reference cluster:
+
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-HERMES-CONTROL-SURFACE-PRD.md`
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-HERMES-REAL-REFRESH-CONTROL-REPLAY-PRD.md`
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-HERMES-WEBUI-CONTROL-PANEL-EVIDENCE.md`
+
+Decision: keep the intention.
+
+The useful idea is visibility and replay. Hermes may display proof posture, approval state, and blocked lanes. Hermes must not govern, promote, or mutate target repositories from this child workspace.
+
+### Provider And Retention Work
+
+Reference cluster:
+
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CASE-PROVIDER-DECISION-RECORD.md`
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CODEX-RETENTION-DRY-RUN-PACKET.md`
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CODEX-RETENTION-POLICY-PACKET.md`
+- `.sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CODEX-RETENTION-ARCHIVE-EXECUTOR-PACKET.md`
+
+Decision: keep the intention with caution.
+
+The useful idea is explicit provider admission and metadata-only retention hygiene. Do not copy secrets, raw transcripts, or provider runtime behavior into CTO. Archive and deletion remain approval-gated.
+
+## Rejection Rules
+
+- Do not activate Case as default backend.
+- Do not mutate target repositories.
+- Do not treat Hermes, Case, Pi, Codex, or any execution backend as Cortex OS authority.
+- Do not promote child-local CTO text into Core without a governed Core route.
+- Do not ingest duplicate planning drafts when a later validated closeout already captures the intention.
+
+## Completion Stage
+
+Stage: legacy intention captured for the main CTO planning clusters.
+
+Remaining useful work: compress duplicate CTO planning surfaces after each cluster has an owner, validator coverage, and a current route decision.
diff --git a/tools/validate_cto_child.py b/tools/validate_cto_child.py
index cdb9ba2..1c6a94e 100644
--- a/tools/validate_cto_child.py
+++ b/tools/validate_cto_child.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ REQUIRED_FILES = [
     "README.md",
     "WORKBOARD.yaml",
     "CONTEXT.md",
+    "docs/LEGACY-INGEST.md",
     ".sot/00-START/CTO-WORKSPACE-INTENT.md",
     ".sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CASE-BACKEND-BRIEF.md",
     ".sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-ARCHITECTURE-BRIEF-CLOSEOUT-PRD.md",
@@ -136,6 +137,21 @@ REQUIRED_BRIEF_PHRASES = [
     "Runtime default activation remains false until a later governed route changes it.",
 ]
 
+REQUIRED_LEGACY_INGEST_PHRASES = [
+    "Local planning only. Not Core authority.",
+    "Source: CTO-WORK-097.",
+    "Legacy Ingest captures intention; it does not import implementation mass.",
+    "Cortex governs.",
+    "Hermes controls.",
+    "CTO routes.",
+    "Case executes.",
+    "Harness proves.",
+    "Core promotes only through SOT route.",
+    "Source Clusters Assessed By Intention",
+    "Do not activate Case as default backend.",
+    "Do not mutate target repositories.",
+]
+
 REQUIRED_ARCHITECTURE_CLOSEOUT_PRD_PHRASES = [
     "Local planning SOT only. Not a Core Protocol. Not active Core authority.",
     "`CTO-WORK-001` remains `candidate`",
@@ -1780,6 +1796,14 @@ def main() -> int:
         if not path.is_file():
             errors.append(f"missing_required_file:{rel}")
 
+    legacy_ingest = ROOT / "docs/LEGACY-INGEST.md"
+    if legacy_ingest.is_file():
+        text = legacy_ingest.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        for phrase in REQUIRED_LEGACY_INGEST_PHRASES:
+            checked.append(f"legacy_ingest_phrase:{phrase}")
+            if phrase not in text:
+                errors.append(f"missing_legacy_ingest_phrase:{phrase}")
+
     brief = ROOT / ".sot/03-PROTOCOLS/CTO-CASE-BACKEND-BRIEF.md"
     if brief.is_file():
         text = brief.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
@@ -3069,6 +3093,7 @@ def main() -> int:
             "CTO-WORK-094": "validated",
             "CTO-WORK-095": "validated",
             "CTO-WORK-096": "validated",
+            "CTO-WORK-097": "validated",
         }
         for issue_id, expected in expected_statuses.items():
             checked.append(f"workboard_status:{issue_id}:{expected}")
@@ -3169,6 +3194,8 @@ def main() -> int:
             errors.append("workboard_missing_codex_retention_policy_source")
         if "CTO-CODEX-RETENTION-ARCHIVE-EXECUTOR-PACKET.md" not in text:
             errors.append("workboard_missing_codex_retention_archive_source")
+        if "docs/LEGACY-INGEST.md" not in text:
+            errors.append("workboard_missing_legacy_ingest_source")
 
     payload = {
         "ok": not errors,